News and Events

Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to implement Value Added Tax (VAT) from January 1 2018, said a senior government official. “The UAE and Saudi Arabia will be the first countries to roll out VAT in the GCC from early 2018 while…

The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) recently hosted 50 Chinese representatives in the SAGIA headquarters. The purpose of this event was to highlight the recent positive advancements in the Tayseer campaign. This campaign’s aim is to increase the ease of doing business in Saudi for foreign investors. The attendees…

The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) has announced the release of their new instant renewal service. This service allows investors to issue a renewed license instantly. The service: Doesn’t require you to upload the new required documents (Zakat, Nitaqat (green and above) and Wasel registered in CR license), as…

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Zakat and Tax has announced that firms must register for value added tax (VAT) by the end of this August. The Saudi Gazette reported that the authority stated an August 26 registration deadline for organisations with an annual turnover above SAR375,000 ($100,000). The Kingdom, along…

Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East, and with the government increasing spending in the private sector, it is an ideal time for companies from the US to increase foreign investments. Saudi and US have had strong ties in the past and those ties continue to strengthen….

General Authority Civil Aviation (GACA) president Abdul Hakeem Al-Tamimi has announced that Saudi Arabia plans to privatise all airports in the country by the end of 2017. The main reason for privatization is to improve passenger services, balance expenditure and increase profitability. The privatized airports will be fully owned by…

The Red Sea project is a tourism project designed to put Saudi Arabia on the international tourism map. The Red Sea project consists of a luxury resort situated on the northwestern coast of the Kingdom, between the cities Umluj and Al Wajh. The project will be spread over a length…

The Council of Ministers has announced that foreign engineering services and consultancy companies will now be able to enter the Kingdom without a Saudi partner. Previously, engineering companies were only able to enter the Kingdom with a Saudi engineering partner that held a minimum of 25% of their shares. The…

Saudi Arabian authorities have developed plans to build Al-Faisaliah city, a major economic center designed to expand the holy city of Makkah. Makkah emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal announced that the project would develop 995,000 housing units and accommodate 6.5 million people by 2050. It will also create 1 million jobs…

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Development is reportedly progressing with plans to ban foreign workers from all grocery and confectionery stores. Al-Madina, an Arab newspaper, reported that a draft decision had been made to put 100% Saudization for all shops selling consumer goods. If implemented, the plan will…

In the early days of being a start up, SMEs can lack the manpower to perform non-core business functions, often leaving tasks undone. At this stage, hiring additional full time employees is unlikely to be an option but companies still need to source assistance. It is at this time that…

The first phase of Energy Industrial City will be completed in 2021. Saudi Aramco are building the new city close to Abqaiq in eastern Saudi Arabia which will develop energy-related industries. The city will be located between Dammam and Ahsa, which is close to Abqaiq, where majority of energy operations…

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GRDFA) has changed the customer happiness centre for medical tests in Muhaisnah area to a centre that will cater to expatriate needs and violators of residency rules. This change is an effort to improve the customer service level, reduce process time and…

With the new Nitaqat changes to be implemented in September of this year, meaning stricter Saudization requirements for businesses, the Ministry of Labour has already began to take steps in preparation. In its annual report, the ministry said it approved 316,212 work visa applications last year out of 849,228 that…

Saudi Arabia has opened a request for qualification (RFQ) for the first utility-scale wind project in Dumat Al Jandal, Al Jouf Province. The RFQ period for the project closes on August 10 2017. The qualified companies will proceed to the request for proposal (RFP) stage as a technical or managing…

Saudi Arabia’s Public Transport Authority (PTA) has announced they are seeking a long-term partnership with an international private rail service company and local private investment entities. The partnership will support the construction and operating of the proposed public railway system. Increased privatization in Saudi is one of the key objectives…

Now you can apply for your Abu Dhabi visa online. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) has launched E-Channels, in line with Emirates Vision 2021. The online portal will allow users to upload the documents required for visa issuance and renewal and allow them to complete the…

The Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program (NTP) have opened up large numbers of foreign investment opportunities for UK companies. Saudi Arabia is welcoming foreign investment to the Kingdom and has taken recent steps to make it an attractive location for companies to expand into. Here we give…

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development and the Human Resource Development Fund have sponsored a summer internship program in the Kingdom, named Saifi, to empower the upcoming youth to enter the labour market. Saifi will start on the 23 July and will run for 4 weeks. Participation in this…

The year is now halfway through, summer holidays are in full swing and this is the time that many people who are looking to relocate, make their move. For those who are relocating to the Kingdom this summer, our relocation article gives a good overview on what to expect and…

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Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to implement Value Added Tax (VAT) from January 1 2018, said a senior government official. “The UAE and Saudi Arabia...